An increasing number of stores and record labels are removing DRM (digital rights management) from their music. According to The Guardian, this has come about after EMI began offering songs without DRM on iTunes last year, and there was no increase in piracy.

“So, if DRM does not in fact discourage piracy, then it’s merely a nuisance for the user,” the article said, “and we now understand that most download stores will remove DRM on permanent music downloads.” 

HMV’s digital content manager, David Elston, confirmed it will be selling non-DRM music from the summer as it would “solve interoperability issues – primarily compatibility with Apple’s iPod” while Amazon has announced that its DMR-free MP3 download store, already online in the US, will be rolled out internationally later this year.

According to the Guardian, Napster in the US is moving to MP3 for non-subscription downloads and the UK service is expected to follow suit, and Apple is also offering DRM-free downloads for an increasing number of tracks.